From NPR.com: The Supreme Court on Wednesday upheld Kentucky's use of lethal
injections for executions, clearing the way for a number of states to
proceed with scheduled executions.

In a 7-2 decision, the
justices rejected a constitutional challenge to the procedures in place
in Kentucky, which uses three drugs to sedate, paralyze and kill
inmates.

"We ... agree that petitioners have not carried their
burden of showing that the risk of pain from maladministration of a
concededly humane lethal injection protocol, and the failure to adopt
untried and untested alternatives, constitute cruel and unusual
punishment," Chief Justice John Roberts wrote.

Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg and David Souter dissented.

Executions
across the country have been on hold since September, when the court
agreed to hear the Kentucky case. Texas, which leads the nation in
executions, has also had an unofficial moratorium. It is not known when
executions will resume. Rest of Article. . . [Mark Godsey]